EHR Implementation and Effects on Nursing Essay -- medical records, he

EHR Implementation Background The implementation of electronic health records (EHR) continues to make an impact on nursing and patient care throughout the country. As a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, all public and private healthcare providers were required to implement electronic health records in their facilities by January 1, 2014. By demonstrating â€Å"meaningful use† of the electronic medical record, facilities are able to maintain Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement levels. Providers who show that they are meeting the â€Å"meaningful use† criteria during EHR use will receive an incentive payment from Medicare and Medicaid. â€Å"Meaningful use† is â€Å"using certified technology in EHR implementation to improve quality, safety, efficiency, and reduce health disparities; engage patients and families; improve care coordination; and maintain privacy and security of patient health information† (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2013). The federal government has encouraged EHR use in hopes that it will significantly improve patient care. There is the intent that electronic health records will allow any provider access to important patient health information no matter where the patient is, while â€Å"creating a comprehensive national electronic health information network that leads to a reduction in the duplication of tests, an improvement in the cost-effectiveness of interventions, and the ability to compile a comprehensive patient history† (McBride, Delaney, Tietze, 2012). While the implementation of EHR’s has good intent, an important question is, â€Å"How are the implementation of EHRs having an effect on emergency nursing and patient care?† Benefits of EHR Use in the Emergency Department Nurses are... ...ers to consider long-term benefits. (2012). ED Management, 24(3). Guterl, G. (2012, April 2). Motivating Meaningful Use on ADVANCE for Nurses. Retrieved February 18, 2013, from http://nursing.advanceweb.com/Features/Articles/Motivating-Meaningful-Use.aspx Kutney-Lee, A. (2011). The effect of hospital electronic health record on. NCBI, 41(11). Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3236066/ McBride, S., Delaney, J., & Tietze, M. (2012). Health Information Technology and Nursing. American Journal of Nursing, 112(8). Retrieved from http://www.nursingcenter.com/lnc/pdf?AID=1402619&an=00152258-201301000-00010&Journal_ID=&Issue_ID= Meaningful Use - Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2013, December 6). Retrieved February 19, 2015, from http://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Legislation/EHRIncentivePrograms/Meaningful_Use.html

Abortion - Is it Safe? Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Abortion - Is it Safe?      Ã‚   If you have been told that abortion is a "safe and legal" procedure, please keep reading. Many problems can occur either during or after a legal abortion. Most people are unaware of the many dangers associated with abortion.    Ten percent of women undergoing elective abortion will suffer immediate complications, of which one-fifth are considered life-threatening. The most common complications that can occur at the time of an abortion are: ripping or perforation of the uterus, excessive bleeding, infection, embolism, convulsions, hemorrhage, cervical injury, endotoxic shock, fever, second degree burns, vomiting, and chronic abdominal pain. You can learn more by reading "Physical Health Risks of Abortion: Scientific Studies Reveal Significant Risk," from the Elliot Institute.    Over 750 papers have been published regarding the risks to abortive women. Women fall into one of two categories: normal risk or high risk. Several types of women are at significantly higher risk for post-abortion problems. They should be particularly aware of the greater potential for complications.    Women under 20 experience a 2 times greater risk of medical complications than for women aged 25-29 (CJPH 73 (1982): 396-400). One woman in 24 (4.1%) have experienced immediate medical complications. (These have included severe bleeding, infection, perforation of the uterus, and part of the baby being retained.)(CJPH 73 (1982):396-400). 150% greater risk of cervical injury than for women over 30 years of age(NEJM 309 (1983):621-4). Women who've had a previous abortion have a 200% increased risk of miscarriage after two or more abortions (JAMA 243 (1980): 2495-9). 160% increased risk o... ...6 American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 166 (1992):100-103 American Journal of Public Health 72 (1982):253-6 Bernadell Technical Bulletin 1 (1989):1-2 British Journal of Cancer 43 (1981):72-6 British Medical Journal 290 (1985):907-9 Canadian Journal of Psychiatry 24 (1979):610-20 Canadian Journal of Publid Health 73 (1982): 396-400. Human Medicine 7 (1991):3:203-9. Journal of the American Medical Association 243 (1980):2495-9 McGovern, Celeste. "Hag-Ridden by Post-Abortion Guilt." British Columbia Report, 10/18/93; British Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 87 (1980):1115-22 New England Journal of Medicine 309 (1983):621-4 Somerville, Scott, Esq. "Before You Choose." AIM publications 10/1/93. Willke, J.C., M.D. The Deadly After-Effect of Abortion: Breast Cancer. Cincinnati, OH: Hayes Publishing, 1993.

Resisting Negative Peer Pressure Essay -- Peer Pressure Essays

â€Å"Conformity is the act of matching attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors to what individuals perceive as normal of their society or social group. This influence occurs in small groups and society as a whole, and may result from subtle unconscious influences, or direct and overt social pressure. Conformity can occur in the presence of others or when an individual is alone† (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conformity) Has there been a time when you suddenly found yourself watching a group of teens communicate and they all seemed to be doing something different from what you can see? How did this make you feel? Did you feel like you had to conform to their way of communicating to each other? If so you just failed victim to your desire to conform. Adolescence, go through different stages of development, these stages are meant to move adolescence between their childhood and their adulthood. These stages are the experiences a teen go through that brings about a variety of changes and emotional issues. Varies cultures play a part in the adolescence development, ranging from their preteens through 19 years of age. â€Å"According to the World Health Organization (WHO), adolescence covers the period of life between 10 and 20 years of age. Adolescence is often divided by psychologists into three distinct phases: early, mid, and late adolescence† (World Health Organization). When an individual take on the behaviors, attitudes, and styles of their peers because of the pressure of fitting in, this is peer conformity, also known as peer pressure. In most cultures the amount of time we spend with our peers tends to increase, as well as the effect they provide for support. Peer influence can start as soon as the third grade for some an... ... Last there is Internalization, publicly changing behavior to fit in with the group and also agreeing with them privately† (http://www.simplypsychology.org/conformity.html). By studying conformity, I hope I will be able to help others keep their identity and follow their own values and beliefs and not give in to peer pressure and conformity. I hope I can make teens more aware of the many influences that peers pressure can have on them and the many choices that make them who they are. Reference Harris, J. R. (1995). Where is the child's environment? A group socialization theory of development. Psychological Review. Conformity, retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conformity World Health Organization, (2013). Adolescent Health and Development Conformity in Psychology, retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/conformity.html

Fast Food and Free Time Essay

MIt is common for university students to have a semester break in between each semester in a year. It usually lasts for about 3 to 4 months. Consequently, students will feel bored during the semester break because they have nothing to do. In my opinion, university students nowadays do spend their free time wisely because they will find some job to fulfil their semester break before starting their studies, doing a short semester and making small business to earn money for their expenses. Firstly, university students nowadays do spend their free time wisely because during semester break, they will find a job to fulfil their semester break before resuming their studies. Usually, their popular choice would be part time job in fast food outlets such as KFC, McDonald’s and Pizza Hut. By working, they learn the hardships of earning money and at the same time they are doing something beneficial. Besides, they can also use their salary to pay the fees for their next semester and thus they can reduce their parents’ burden. Secondly, university students nowadays do spend their free time wisely because some of students doing short semester for spend their free time in semester break especially for those repeaters, they can finish the repeat subject earlier and have no burden to take the subject again for the next semester. Beside that, repeater students will not taking a long time to finishing their studies and grading earlier. Lastly, university students nowadays do spend their free time wisely because most of them do a small business when semester break. For example they open a stall burger. They can help their family finance and also can pay for their expenses. Moreover they also can get more experience on how to make a business. At the same time, they also can spend some money for their personal saving. So, university students nowadays do spend their free time wisely.

Look into a Psychotic mind

Not for the faint hearted. As a child I'd always been curious. Starting when I was six, I would spend hours doing my â€Å"experiments† It began with frogs and worms but soon I went on to bigger animals, mammals. The family cat, a little boys puppy, the school gerbils. The police never knew who took them although they did find the bodies†¦ When I was done with them. I'm twenty six now and quite the normal city girl if you don't count my experiments. I work for Poise magazine as a photographer and part time interviewer but my passion still lies in the biology of a body.Did you know humans can continue to live after the removal of the stomach, spleen, 75% of the liver, 80% of the intestines, one kidney, one lung, and virtually every organ from the pelvic and groin area. You might not feel too great, but the missing organs wouldn't kill you. I wonder who was lucky enough to do this experiment, I'd love to be them. The surgeon or scientist†¦ Not the subject missing his o rgans. This is what inspired my latest question and led to the idea for my new â€Å"experiment† I picked up my subject outside a local club.It's quiet skinny but still a healthy looking packmen, the shaggy brown hair is really what pulled me to it. Eve always loved light brown hair for some reason. Anyway, my specimen spent the morning in my car trunk while I was at work, I made sure he was knocked out properly. I don't need my co-workers hearing noises from my car and investigating†¦ I'd probably lose my Job. Who am I kidding? My Job would be toast. I drove up to my old family house in the country, having taken the week off I had time to come out here.No one knows about the old house and it was so far away from anything you could scream your head off without anyone showing up. Perfect for hat I needed. I dragged the still unconscious specimen into the large garage, his chloroform nap would be the last peace he had so he may as well enjoy it. I'm a relatively small woma n so dragging him to the garage wasn't the easiest thing to do. Why the heck didn't I park closer? I sighed to myself. Break time is over and I need to get back to work. I walked across the dusty floor and stared at the tools lining my wall.I looked at each one and grinned at the damage they could each do. Hammers for smashing, saws for sawing, pliers for pulling, knives for slicing and blowtorches for†¦ Well you get the point. The collection was large and helped quell my curiosity. I grabbed a length of thick rope from one of the hooks and walked back to where my specimen lay. My shoes made clanking noises against the floor but there was no reason to be quiet†¦ So I wasn't. Spotting a sturdy beam above me, I tossed the rope over it and watched as thick braided cord fell far enough down so I could reach it if I Jumped.You'd think I'd done this before. After I made sure I could reach both ends of the rope I turned to my subject. He looked so peaceful, I don't think he remem bered his abduction or understood what was to come. My first human specimen was a cutie, I had to admit. It's almost a shame, almost. I pulled his unconscious body into place and wound the rope around his ankles after removing the man's boots. I made sure my knots were tight and would not slip undone as that would ruin the experiment.Grabbing the other end of dangling rope I pulled it over my shoulder and began to walk towards the pillar near the edge of my garage where I could tie off the rope, leaving my specimen hanging from the rafters like meat in a butcher shop. While waiting for my subject to awake I decided to record my progress in the book I pet with me at all times. It was filled with notes on all my experiments, granted they were all animal experiments. Subject: â€Å"Humans† Experiment: Skin Skin is a thin layer of tissue acting as a perimeter around the internal body keeping unwanted germs out.It is also the largest organ in the body and arguably the most importa nt. How important? After skinning subject â€Å"Humans† I hope to answer that question. Hypothesis: Without the outer layer the body should succumb to bacteria, viruses and disease. I am anticipating that dehydration will be my biggest obstacle. I heard a groan come from behind me and suppressed a grin. He's awake! I dropped the knives I'd brought with me behind him noisily. The man was now flailing around uselessly. The grogginess from being knocked out prevented him from succeeding, it was actually quite humorous!When he finally gave up, I walked behind him and gave his hair a playful tug, pulling his head back slightly. â€Å"What!? Wait-Who are you? Where am I!? † He yelled in fury. The anger was to be expected. He flailed some more until he faced me and tried to grasp at the edge of my Jeans. I stood Just out of his reach, these are designer Jeans! â€Å"Why? † I finally repeated back at him. Sees you crazy bitchy! Why am I here!? † He screamed. †Å"Because I have a question, no need for vulgar language. † I added sweetly. â€Å"Huh? Fine. What's the question? † He huffed. â€Å"Do you remember how you got here? Not my actual question but still needs to be answered. â€Å"l- l†¦ No. † He looked thoughtful and I smiled, Just what I wanted to hear. I slipped my hand into my pocket and withdrew the needle filled with liquid chloroform, enjoying the look of horror on his face. Before he could yell or thrash around I slipped it into his neck, further than necessary and he yelped in pain. The Heimlich soon entered his blood and the struggling stopped. Carefully I made the first incision in his back with a fillet knife, being careful not to go too deep as I ran the blade down his back.I pulled up the skin and slid my knife between the skin and his back watching as the external organ was removed from his back. I did my task in silence working my way up his shoulders and arms. I wasn't concerned with the smal l amounts of skin under the bindings as it would be rubbed raw by the friction of his movements and there was no time to work on such tediousness. Next I worked on my subject's chest and torso. By the time the crimson map of internal workings was shown on his top half, or bottom since he is upside down. A decent sized puddle of blood had collected on the stone floor.The thick red liquid ran down his still unharmed neck and landed with a trickling plop on the ground. The neck proved an easy part. The fingers and toes gave me some difficulty as the skin between the digits was at an awkward angle and hard to reach with in the small spaces, I succeeded in the end. Skinning his â€Å"manhood† was excruciatingly tedious. The skin covering the gender based organ was already so thin, it was nearly impossible to get rid of. I'm thankful the member is so small or I may have lost my patience and chopped the damned thing off completely.I gave my subject a shot of kill, a chemical compoun d used to help blood clotting and thicken the blood. I want to see how long my subject will survive without skin and blood loss cannot be a factor! His neck and head was all that was left. As I passed over his features carefully, I ruined one of the eyes by accidental cutting an eyelid off. Careless but not a huge mistake, I hope. I finished off removing the rest of the skin from his head. He isn't cute anymore, that's for sure. There, perfect. I thought as I stood back to admire the exposed muscles and tendons.The blue of his veins reminded me of a road map, twisting and turning throughout his rosy red form. Fresh blood oozed from his body but not to an extent that would cause the subject's demise, thanks to the kill . I placed a large mirror in front of him so when he awoke he'd see himself. I want him to appreciate the time I put into his death. When my subject awoke there was much swearing so I left him alone for a day to calm down and accept his fate. Its day 2 of the skinless man and time to feed him. I can't let starvation or dehydration influence my answer. His death has to be due to loss of skin.He didn't speak while I fed him, no swearing or begging. I found it unusual but I think he must be feeling some despair. I'd noticed his drying form and the way most of his body had scabbed over, leaving it looking rough and deformed. I suppose that all I can do now is wait Day 5. Five and make sure he has enough water. Day 3. The subject is growing weaker, diseases starting to take over his skinless form. Some disconsolation can be seen in his tissue as well as a mixture of sores that seep a yellowish puss. The eyelid that I accidental cut off has now dried out, it now rerouted from his face slightly.His body is also admitting a sour smell. Like a mixture of dried urine and rotting flesh. The dour attracts all sorts of flies, gnats and mosquitoes. Both feeding on his decaying tissue and laying eggs in the warm gore. I watch in fascination as his flesh seems t o crawl and wiggle with the bugs devouring him slowly. It's exciting, I did not for see this in my experiment. Day 4. The eye without its lid popped at some point last night, its insides became a comfortable bed for flies. Putrid, dark greenish purple glop dried in a strip down his face. Disgusting. â€Å"Why don't you Just kill me? The man asked weakly. L am killing you silly! It's Just taking a while longer than expected. † I smiled at how naive he is. â€Å"Why? † He wept. â€Å"l told you, I'm curious. † Then I thought of something, â€Å"What's your name? † â€Å"Connors, My name is Connors. You? † Him should I tell him my name? â€Å"I'm Reggae. † After that I left him hanging. Literally. He's still strung up from the roof, I'm surprised he hasn't complained off head-AC. Days, I thought as I stood in front of his lifeless body. His muscles and tissues were one giant, inflamed red scab with large areas of purple, blue and even yellow du e to extreme infection.

“Ethnic Notions” Analysis Essay

â€Å"Ethnic Notions† is a historical film that takes the viewer through the entire course of American history from the 1820s to the 1980s. The songs, watching the films and seeing all the artifacts is what makes this film such a powerful tool. The film describes some of the terms that were used to depict black Americans. Well into the twentieth century the â€Å"Mammy†, the â€Å"Coon†, and the â€Å"†Sambo†Ã¢â‚¬  were all terms used in reference to black Americans. In 1941 the cartoon was made and made its way into many of the homes of American culture. In the early 1900s the image of the â€Å"Sambo† spread and it became a portrayal of black men in film. The Character is lazy and irresponsible that will easily avoid work to take part in food and dance. As the civil war approached, a new character accompanied the â€Å"Sambo†, the â€Å"Zip Coon†. This character tried to portray whites that mocked the notion of racial equality. With these two together, they both defended slavery by saying that blacks can’t handle freedom. In films the role of the â€Å"†Mammy†Ã¢â‚¬  was a servant that was stereotypically a very dark and heavy woman that had her priorities set to doing whatever her master or mistress wished. â€Å"Mammy† was shown as a loyal person that was protective over the white household. She was a powerful person which became a stable figure in each image of the south. It became hard to go without seeing this character in a southern home. This character was also a defender of slavery. But within her own family the â€Å"Mammy† is the controlling force which is the direct opposite of the way the household is viewed in society. She is shown as being asexual and unattractive. Once the slaves became emancipated many white people said that the former slaves couldn’t handle being without constant subordination to their white masters. Society called the emancipated blacks brutes, and the increasing public fear of them gave them the nickname of â€Å"black menace.† Once motion picture was developed in the 20th century the images and the depiction of black Americans didn’t change at all. The only difference now is the hate is now on film. Blacks began to enter theater and they used it as a step in the right direction to get out of the south and start a new life with  opportunities. Through the 1940s the blackface became discarded but its image left its mark on society. Soon cartoons became the voice for racism. This way when any violence or mistreatment were occurring it would be entertaining and humorous. The cartoons had the power to influence young minds to see stereotypes as being entertaining by making references to black Americans being savages. Furthermore the only thing that domesticated black Americans was slavery. The myth says without the whites control over the blacks, their entire race would wind up being nothing more than savages. â€Å"Ethnic Notions† is an in depth look at the roots of African American racism and stereotypes. The movie goes through 150 years of racism and hatred towards black Americans, and the images that were spread throughout society that depicted African Americans to being lazy and careless. Also without slavery to keep them in check, myths say that they would resort to savage behavior.

Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser

Scoring Your Test From the SAT Preparation Bookletâ„ ¢ The materials in these files are intended for individual use by students getting ready to take an SAT Program test; permission for any other use must be sought from the SAT ® Program. Schools (state-approved and/or accredited diploma-granting secondary schools) may reproduce them, in whole or in part, in limited quantities, for face-to-face guidance/teaching purposes but may not mass distribute the materials, electronically or otherwise.These materials and any copies of them may not be sold, and the copyright notices must be retained as they appar here. This permission does not apply to any third-party copyrights contained herein. The College Board: Connecting Students to College Success The College Board is a not-for-profit membership association whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the association is composed of more than 5,700 schools, colleges, universities, and other educational organizations.Each year, the College Board serves over seven million students and their parents, 23,000 high schools, and 3,800 colleges through major programs and services in college admissions, guidance, assessment, financial aid, enrollment, and teaching and learning. Among its best-known programs are the SAT ®, the PSAT/NMSQT ®, and the Advanced Placement Program ® (AP ®). The College Board is committed to the principles of excellence and equity, and that commitment is embodied in all of its programs, services, activities, and concerns. For further information, visit www. collegeboard. com.  © 2010 The College Board.All rights reserved. College Board, Advanced Placement Program, AP, SAT, and the acorn logo are registered trademarks of the College Board. connect to college success, SAT Preparation Booklet, SAT Reasoning Test, SAT Subject Tests, The Official SAT Study Guide, and The Official SAT Online Course are trademarks owned by the College Board. PSAT/NM SQT is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation. All other products and services may be trademarks of their respective owners. Visit the College Board on the Web: www. collegeboard. com.Correct Answers and Difficulty Levels for the Official SAT Practice Test Get a score report and answer explanations! Enter your answers online at collegeboard. com/ satpracticetest. 72 Getting Ready for the SAT  © 2005 The College Board Scoring the Of? cial SAT Practice Test To have your score calculated automatically, go to www. collegeboard. com/satpracticetest. You’ll receive: †¢ A detailed score report †¢ Answer explanations To calculate your score on paper, check your responses with the correct answers on page 72. Fill in the blanks below and do the calculations to get your mathematics, critical reading, and writing raw scores.Use the tables on pages 75–76 to find your scaled scores. How many multiple-ch oice mathematics questions did you get wrong? Section 2: Questions 1–20 Section 6: Questions 1–8 Total + = (B) Section 8: Questions 1–16 + ? 0. 25 = A–B = Mathematics Raw Score Round the mathematics raw score to the nearest whole number. Get Your Critical Reading Score How many critical reading questions did you get right? Section 3: Questions 1–24 Section 7: Questions 1–24 + Section 9: Questions 1–19 + Total = (A) Use the table on page 75 to find your mathematics scaled score. Get Your Writing ScoreHow many multiple-choice writing questions did you get right? Section 5: Questions 1–35 Section 10: Questions 1–14 + Total = (A) How many critical reading questions did you get wrong? Section 3: Questions 1–24 Section 7: Questions 1–24 + Section 9: Questions 1–19 + Total = (B) How many multiple-choice writing questions did you get wrong? Section 5: Questions 1–35 Section 10: Questions 1–14 + Total = (B) ? 0. 25 = A–B= Critical Reading Raw Score Round the critical reading raw score to the nearest whole number. ? 0. 25 = A–B = Writing Multiple-Choice Raw Score Round the writing multiple-choice raw score to the nearest whole number. C) Use the table on page 75 to find your critical reading scaled score. Get Your Mathematics Score How many mathematics questions did you get right? Section 2: Questions 1–20 Section 6: Questions 1–18 + Section 8: Questions 1–16 + Total = (A) Use the table on page 75 to find your writing multiple-choice scaled score. Estimate your essay score using the Essay Scoring Guide on page 73. ?2= (D) Use the table on page 76, your multiple-choice raw score (C), and your essay score (D) to find your writing composite scaled score. 74 Getting Ready for the SAT  © 2005 The College Board SAT Score Conversion TableThe majority of essay readers teach English, composition, or language arts courses. Each essay is scored ind ependently by two readers on a scale of 1 to 6, with 6 being the highest score. The combined score for both readers will range from 2 to 12. If the two readers’ scores are more than one point apart, a third reader resolves the discrepancy. In scoring the essays, readers follow the scoring guide below. The scoring guide describes the features typically found in essays at each score point, including critical thinking, development, organization, language use, and sentence structure. A student can get a top score on the essay even with minor errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics.The SAT essay neither rewards nor penalizes formulaic approaches to writing, such as the five-paragraph essay. There is no formula for effective writing, no single best way to communicate an idea. Any essay that features clear lines of reasoning, appropriate choices of evidence, ample development of ideas, effective organization, and precise use of language will receive a high score, regardless of style or approach. Readers are trained to recognize and reward a wide variety of essays at each score point. SAT ESSAY Scoring Guide SCORE OF 6 An essay in this category demonstrates clear and consistent mastery, although it may have a few minor errors.A typical essay †¢ effectively and insightfully develops a point of view on the issue and demonstrates outstanding critical thinking, using clearly appropriate examples, reasons, and other evidence to support its position †¢ is well organized and clearly focused, demonstrating clear coherence and smooth progression of ideas †¢ exhibits skillful use of language, using a varied, accurate, and apt vocabulary †¢ demonstrates meaningful variety in sentence structure †¢ is free of most errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics SCORE OF 5 An essay in this category demonstrates reasonably consistent mastery, although it will have occasional errors or lapses in quality. A typical essay SCORE OF 4 An essay in this category dem onstrates adequate mastery, although it will have lapses in quality. A typical essay effectively develops a point of view on the †¢ develops a point of view on the issue and issue and demonstrates strong critical thinking, demonstrates competent critical thinking, generally using appropriate examples, reasons, using adequate examples, reasons, and other and other evidence to support its position evidence to support its position †¢ is well organized and focused, demonstrating coherence and progression of ideas †¢ exhibits facility in the use of language, using appropriate vocabulary †¢ demonstrates variety in sentence structure †¢ is generally free of most errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics †¢ is generally organized and focused, demonstrating some coherence and progression of ideas †¢ exhibits adequate but inconsistent facility in the use of language, using generally appropriate vocabulary †¢ demonstrates some variety in sentence structure †¢ has some errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics SCORE OF 3 An essay in this category demonstrates developing mastery, and is marked byONE OR MORE of the following weaknesses: †¢ develops a point of view on the issue, demonstrating some critical thinking, but may do so inconsistently or use inadequate examples, reasons, or other evidence to support its position †¢ is limited in its organization or focus, or may demonstrate some lapses in coherence or progression of ideas †¢ displays developing facility in the use of language, but sometimes uses weak vocabulary or inappropriate word choice †¢ lacks variety or demonstrates problems in sentence structure †¢ contains an accumulation of errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics SCORE OF 2 An essay in this category demonstrates little mastery, and is flawed by ONE OR MORE of the following weaknesses: †¢ develops a point of view on the issue that is vague or seriously limited, and demonstrates weak crit ical thinking, providing inappropriate or insufficient examples, reasons, or other evidence to support its positionAn essay in this category demonstrates very little or no mastery, and is severely flawed by ONE OR MORE of the following weaknesses: †¢ develops no viable point of view on the issue, or provides little or no evidence to support its position †¢ is poorly organized and/or focused, or †¢ is disorganized or unfocused, resulting in a disjointed or incoherent essay demonstrates serious problems with coherence or progression of ideas †¢ displays very little facility in the use of language, using very limited vocabulary or incorrect word choice †¢ demonstrates frequent problems in sentence structure †¢ contains errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics so serious that meaning is somewhat obscured  © 2005 The College Board †¢ displays fundamental errors in vocabulary demonstrates severe flaws in sentence structure †¢ contains pervasive err ors in grammar, usage, or mechanics that persistently interfere with meaning Getting Ready for the SAT 73 Essays not written on the essay assignment will receive a score of zero. Sample Essays for the SAT Practice Test Essay #1: This essay received a score of 6 Americans nowadays are far too concerned with their privacy. In our culture of large houses, home security systems, and private counslers, everyone is trying too hard to seclude themselves and cut off their emotions with the outside world. Two summers ago some friends of mine and I went on a trip to Thailand for one month.In Thailand I observed how communicative Thais were with all of their problems and emotions, and I became convinced that this culture of sharing one’s emotions was far superior to the American way of hiding them. In America we all are individualists, meaning we all care about standing out in a crowd and making a unique, strong impression. So when my friends and I arrived in a small village in the Nort h of Thailand, we were somewhat shocked to find that Thais centered around groups, not individual people. When it came to emotions, if someone had a problem, the group had a problem, and everyone would try and fix it. It was as if the entire village was one large team that had a mission to help all of its individuals. No one was left in isolation.In contrast, we Americans hid all of our stressful or other serious emotions. We were concerned once again with our appearance, how we would be judged by our friends, and whether or not it suited our unique identity. For us, it was â€Å"every man for himself. † If someone had a problem, it was up to them to fix it. The advantages of this might be that everyone learns to solve their problems on their own, but people are then not learning how to communicate their problems, they are not learning how to communicate in a group. For example, my friend Duncan had recently got refused by a college he had had his heart set on, and he was fee ling depressed about it.While in Thailand we all asumed that he was doing ok because he never talked about it. After one month however, all of us in the group had grown closer together and we started to share our feelings more. Duncan confessed to us that he was still upset about his college refusal, and we all worked together to cheer him up and get rid of his depression. There was nothing â€Å"weak† about him feeling upset. In fact, he showed us strength by being brave enough to express himself to us. Should people keep their emotions private? If they have serious emotions that they hold inside of themselves, most likely these emotions will be a lot harder to make go away.Thai culture, and the Thai way of solving problems as a group, convinced me that people are meant to express themselves in a group. Confessing one’s emotions to others is a way to cope with problems, and it teaches us valuable lessons of communication and honesty. People need to confess their probl ems, not keep them private. Why Essay #1 Received a Score of 6 This essay demonstrates outstanding critical thinking in effectively and insightfully developing a point of view on the issue (â€Å"Confessing one’s emotions to others is a way to cope with problems, and it teaches us valuable lessons of communication and honesty†) with a clearly appropriate example from personal experience.Well organized and clearly focused, the essay uses an account of a trip to Thailand to illustrate the point that Americans, who â€Å"all care about standing out in a crowd† and thus conceal â€Å"all of our stressful or other serious emotions,† â€Å"need to learn the Thai way of solving problems†¦people are meant to express themselves in a group. † The essay demonstrates smooth progression of ideas (â€Å"Duncan confessed to us that he was still upset about his college refusal, and we all worked together to cheer him up†¦There was nothing ‘weakâ⠂¬â„¢ about him feeling upset. In fact, he showed his strength by being brave enough to express himself to us†) and uses language skillfully throughout.This essay demonstrates clear and consistent mastery and earns the top score of 6.  © 2005 The College Board Essay #2: This essay received a score of 6 I cannot help but believe, despite my slight ambivalence over the issue of privacy, that the trends which now-adays indicate a slight reluctance on part of people to keep some things private, are dangerous. Shows like â€Å"Jerry Springer† in the USA tend to reveal information that is inherently dangerous for young children, and thus should be kept private. A problem with capitalism that I have become cognizant of, through my observations, is that if some activity can help amass profits, it is widely employed.This almost insane drive to attain profit maximization not only ignores external and societal costs, but is setting dangerous cultural precedents. Since lurid, sen sationalist confessions by ‘average’ people are quite appealing to the general television viewer, it is unsurprising that myriad shows have propped up on television, which pander to these very wants by exposing stories and information which is better kept dissembled. In this context, the show ‘Jerry Springer’ epitomizes my argument. In this show, an array of family problems are presented to an audience, not for information dissemination, but for ‘entertainment’; In this case, which means—and I think this is quite obvious—nothing but mockery and amusement over the antics of people who choose to expose their problems.These ‘personal predicaments’ range from some less disturbing ones, such as people cheating on their friends or marital partners, to extremely grave ones, such as people sleeping with their relatives. I am not someone who would like to contravene principles like freedom of expression, or freedom of choice. But democracy as a system doesnot herald absolute freedom for its own sake; rather, it champions the cause of ‘live and let live’. The latter principal is surely being violated by people who choose to expose such stories— for no plausible reasons I can conjure, since no family problem has actually been solved by such shows—to impressionable young children; for TV ratings and parental supervision do not always work. Am I exaggerating?Is it not harmful or psychologically detrimental when a child is exposed to such ideas? You be the judge. Why Essay #2 Received a Score of 6 This essay demonstrates clear and consistent mastery, effectively and insightfully developing a point of view on the issue (â€Å"the trends which now-a-days indicate a slight reluctance on part of people to keep some things private, are dangerous†) with clearly appropriate reasons and examples. The essay displays outstanding critical thinking in linking the â€Å"harmful or psycho logically detrimental† behavior publicized on the â€Å"Jerry Springer† television show with capitalism’s â€Å"almost insane drive to attain profit maximization. The essay is well organized and clearly focused, demonstrating smooth progression of ideas (â€Å"I am not someone who would like to contravene principles like freedom of expression, or freedom of choice. But democracy as a system doesnot herald absolute freedom for its own sake; rather, it champions the cause of ‘live and let live’. The latter principal is surely being violated by people who choose to expose such stories—for no plausible reasons I can conjure, since no family problem has actually been solved by such shows—to impressionable young children†). The essay also exhibits skillful use of language, featuring precision and variety in vocabulary and sentence structure.This outstanding essay receives the top score of 6.  © 2005 The College Board Essay #3: This essay received a score of 5 People no longer respect the privacy of others or of themselves. This is evident through the exposure of famous peoples’ lives, the â€Å"showing off† of possessions and sex appeal, and pornography. Society should learn to respect the privacy of others despite the urge to get involved. One of the most common places privacy is violated is among famous or upper class groups. The reason society feels a need to know everything that goes on in a famous person’s life is because of jealousy. People constantly remind the rich and the famous that their lives are not â€Å"perfect. For instance, when Brittany Speare’s married her limosine driver and then divorced him eight hours later, everyone read it in the tabloids, newspapers, saw it on the television and heard of it on the radio. Another reason why such people are constant victims of over exposure is because the media takes advantage of certain situations in order to increase their ratings and profit. A popular practice, especially found in the United States and European countries, is the â€Å"showing† off of possessions. People want the world to know that they have money and own an Escalade or Rolls Royce. MTV has a show called CRIBS, which shows the audience the interior and exterior of rich multi-million dollar homes of famous musical artists. Also, the â€Å"showing† off of bodies and the use of sex appeal has become almost a necessity in the fashion business.Women and men completely expose their bodies in an effort to make money and become famous. This has a negative effect on society because it leads to a decline in self confidence and people, especially young teen girls, in an attempt to look like super models, starve themselves. Pornography is another aspect of life that should be private. Sex is a sacred act that is shared between a man and a woman yet people, such as Paris Hilton, have violated and abused it. This brings the idea that sex sells. Society should not overexpose their bodies, money, or the private lives of others. This could help decrease the amount of crimes, teen pregnancies, and identity theft. Why Essay #3 Received a Score of 5This essay effectively develops a point of view on the issue (â€Å"Society should not expose their bodies, money, or the private lives of others†) with appropriate reasons and examples. The well-organized essay uses strong critical thinking to explain how people are hurt by the lack of privacy in today’s image-focused, media-saturated society (â€Å"Women and men completely expose their bodies in an effort to make money and become famous. This has a negative effect on society because it leads to a decline in self confidence and people, especially young teen girls, in an attempt to look like super models, starve themselves†). The essay exhibits facility in the use of language (â€Å"People no longer respect the privacy of others or of themselves.This is evident through the exposure of famous peoples’ lives, the â€Å"showing off† of possessions and sex appeal, and pornography†). To earn a score of 6, the writer needs to use stronger critical thinking to explain more fully how celebrity overexposure and pornography are harmful to society. This essay demonstrates reasonably consistent mastery and earns a 5.  © 2005 The College Board Essay #4: This essay received a score of 5 For a person to be honest, he need not share every aspect of his life. It is not dishonest to not mention a fact that was not inquired about. Even if it was asked of, one can easily say, truthfully, that they care not to speak of the issue.People in our modern society should make an effort to keep aspects of their lives private, for it would give them and others many problems, most of which are much greater than dishonesty could ever be. Many issues are personnal, and relevant only to you. There is no reason why personnal information shou ld be shared, unless it is by the will of that person, or in order to solve a larger problem. In the United States, we have our government separated from our religious institutions, and for good reason. People should be allowed to worship however they choose, and the rest of the world should have no effect on it, as guaranteed in the Bill of Rights.However, this is not always the case. In the Nazi-controlled Europe of WWII, Jews were forced to wear a Star of David on their arm to show they were Jewish and therefore were shunned. Their right to privacy was violated, and should not have been. In the world today, there are many diverse cultures. The United States, for example, has races from all over the globe. Many people have opinions about some of these different races and the beliefs that correlate. Groups such as the KKK outwardly show their opinions of other ethnic groups, in many cases violently. For the safety of themselves and the ones they shun, they should keep their opinion s private.Even on the smaller scale, if two people were to divulge all their opinions and beliefs to the other, they would no doubt find many ideas upon which they disagree. Instead of ignoring their minute differences and getting along well, they chose, by not keeping their ideas private, to bring them out and possibly argue heatedly about them. There are many more instances in which privacy should be honored, but these two should give an adequate idea of why privacy is very important to a peaceful society. Why Essay #4 Received a Score of 5 This essay demonstrates strong critical thinking in developing a point of view on the issue (â€Å"privacy is very important to a peaceful society†) with appropriate reasons and examples.Well organized and focused around the idea that privacy helps people avoid â€Å"many problems, most of which are much greater than dishonesty,† the essay displays coherence and progression of ideas, first citing the violation of Jews’ priv acy under the Nazis, then explaining that in today’s world of diverse cultures, little good comes of people â€Å"divulg[ing] all their opinions and beliefs. † The essay exhibits facility in the use of language and demonstrates variety in sentence structure (â€Å"Groups such as the KKK outwardly show their opinions of other ethnic groups, in many cases violently. For the safety of themselves and the ones they shun, they should keep their opinions private†). To achieve a score of 6, the writer needs to explain the link between the two examples more insightfully. The essay is effective and earns a score of 5. Essay #5: This essay received a score of 4 J.David Velleman had an idea that many may believe as truth, however, when looking at the entire picture it is clear that in all free countries everyone has a right to keep things to themselves. In our very own constitution we have dedicated the 4th Amendment to protecting people from incriminating themselves in the court of law. People every day do things and refuse to tell others about their actions. If a person truely wants to keep something private then that person has the right to do so. Our culture becoming a far too confessional and selfexpressive is not a true statement in that people have and will always have the ability to keep something private if they want to. Our culture in America is growing closer to utilizing therapy as a tool to improve their state of mind and well being.This, however, requires a person to be more open so that a trained professional can use their skills to help solve problems. However, at the begining of the 1st therapy session the therapist is required to tell the person or group that they do not need to share something if they dont wish to. This then gives the choice to the patient who decide what to tell and what not to tell. In the past some might say that people were forced into saying things more than in our present day culture. The Spanish Inquisition t ortured their victims and forced them to say things even if it wasnt true in order to sentance the person to death. It is an obvious choice that therapy is a far better way of opening a person up.  © 2005 The College Board Why Essay #5 Received a Score of 4This essay develops a point of view on the issue (â€Å"If a person truely wants to keep something private then that person has the right to do so†) with reasons and examples that adequately support the position, thus demonstrating competent critical thinking. Generally focused around the idea that people in contemporary America enjoy the right to privacy, a right that people have not always possessed, the essay features some coherence and progression of ideas (â€Å"In the past some might say that people were forced into saying things more than in our present day culture. The Spanish Inquisition tortured their victims and forced them to say things even if it wasnt true in order to sentance the person to death. It is an obvious choice that therapy is a far better way of opening a person up†). The essay exhibits adequate facility in the use of language despite some errors.To earn a higher score, the writer should further develop the interesting contrast between therapy and the Spanish Inquisition with additional focused reasoning and other evidence. This competent essay receives a score of 4. Essay #6: This essay received a score of 4 People should have a choice whether they want to keep their own matters private, and the public should respect people’s decisions. If people want to keep their matters private, they should not have to make an effort. An example of â€Å"confessional and self-expressive† matters is a diary. Many people express their deepest thoughts and feelings in diaries and journals. Some people, such as celebrities, choose to publicize their diaries. If such is their desire, no one should have a problem.Some celebrities just want average people to know what a fam ous is actually like. These inside peeks can be entertaining and informative. On the other hand, if people choose to keep their diaries secret, then others should respect them. People can use diaries to disclose embarrassing, revealing secrets that would otherwise eat away at them. People can use their diaries as an escape. Others should not violate their privacy for no reason. Of course, sometimes people do have a good reason for invading someone’s privacy and reading his/her diary. Because people often think that no one who matters will ever read their diaries, they can reveal their innermost thoughts. These diaries can be important to historians.For example, Anne Frank’s powerfully moving diary revealed a great deal about life during the Holocaust. Her diary has proven to be an excellent primary source. Another important diary is Go Ask Alice. Alice’s diary opens up the world of drugs. Her story can be used to help other drug-addicted teens or to prevent peop le from trying drugs. Thus, opening up diaries to the public can be very useful. Clearly, there are benefits to keeping certain things private or public. Why Essay #6 Received a Score of 4 This essay demonstrates competent critical thinking in developing a point of view on the issue (â€Å"Clearly, there are benefits to keeping certain things rivate or public†) through a generally focused discussion of diaries. The essay uses adequate reasons and examples to examine both sides of the privacy debate (â€Å"If people want to keep their matters private, they should not have to make an effort†¦. Of course, sometimes people do have a good reason for invading someone’s privacy and reading his/her diary†). The essay demonstrates some progression of ideas and exhibits adequate facility in the use of language (â€Å"These diaries can be important to historians. For example, Anne Frank’s powerfully moving diary revealed a great deal about life during the Holo caust. Her diary has proven to be an excellent primary source†).To achieve a higher score, the writer should use critical thinking to reconcile the opposing sides of the issue, perhaps by answering the question, â€Å"when, exactly, is it acceptable to read someone else’s diary? † The essay is competent and receives a score of 4.  © 2005 The College Board Essay #7: This essay received a score of 3 I think that you should not have to keep everything private. People have a lot of views, ideas, stories, etc. and if they feel that it is necessary to tell them, then let them. I think that if it is helpful, necessary, or comforting to the person talking or talking to, then anyone should be able to talk about it. My first example is if someone was having a problem.If this person is feeling really bad and their friend (peer) wants to tell them how they feel about the topic, then keeping it private is the wrong thing to do! The feelings that the second person is express ing to the first could be extremely helpful. My second example is that some people solve their own problems by talking about it. Often times when someone is having some kind of problem, speaking out and letting people know how they feel can help them. Just hearing themselves talk about it can really help a person. This doesn’t mean that you have to physically talk about it to another human. As long as you aren’t screaming at someone that you don’t know, then let it go.My last example is if you knew something or had an opinion on something that could greatly help you or someone else from doing something that is physically or mentally damaging. For example suicide. No one wants you to keep your feelings in if it is going to be something dangerous like this. I think that if it is helpful, necesarry or comforting to the person talking or talking to, then anyone should be able to say what you feel. Why Essay #7 Received a Score of 3 This essay demonstrates some criti cal thinking in developing a point of view on the issue (â€Å"I think that if it is helpful, necessary, or comforting to the person talking or talking to, then anyone should be able to talk about it†) with reasons or examples.However, the evidence provided is limited in focus and is inadequately developed to support the position (â€Å"My last example is if you knew someone or had an opinion on something that could greatly help you or someone else from doing something that is physically or mentally damaging. For example suicide. No one wants you to keep your feelings in if it is going to be something dangerous like this†). The essay also displays developing facility in the use of language. To attain a higher score, the writer should improve the focus of the evidence provided, perhaps by including examples of actual situations in which â€Å"speaking out† was beneficial. This essay demonstrates developing mastery and earns a 3. Essay #8: This essay received a sc ore of 2 I feel that people should keep things more private, but some things should be expressed.People should keep things more quiet, because thats how rumors get out, when people talk about something they don’t really know about well. If people kept quiet then rumors wouldn’t get started, and as long as they kept quiet, it gives them more time to learn the truth. If things were kept in private, maybe there would not be wars and terrorism. People would get along and not have to argue over dumb stuff. Most bad things happen because someone says something wrong. In that case if people kept their opinions private, there wouldn’t be anything spoken wrong. I also think somethings should be expressed, like if there was something bad going to happen to the country, people would speak about it, instead of keeping it quiet.Some others that shouldn’t be kept quiet would be deaths, so people could hear if they knew the person or not. Basically any thing important t o the country and families should not be kept private. The only way it should is if they wanted it too. Overall, I feel that you can say what you want, but make sure you are speaking the truth and if not keep it private.  © 2005 The College Board Why Essay #8 Received a Score of 2 This essay develops a vague point of view on the issue (â€Å"I feel that people should keep things more private, but some things should be expressed†) and provides insufficient evidence to support the position, thus demonstrating weak critical thinking.The essay is poorly focused, displaying serious problems with progression of ideas and the use of language (â€Å"Some others that shouldn’t be kept quiet would be deaths, so people could hear if they knew the person or not. Basically any thing important to the country and families should not be kept private. The only way it should is if they wanted it too†). To earn a higher score, the writer should offer adequate, developed reasons and examples that clarify the distinction between what should be expressed and what should be kept private. This essay is seriously limited and receives a score of 2. Essay #9: This essay received a score of 1 In life people’s privacy are viewed on different levels.It depends on how serious their secret is. If it is very serious they will do anything to keep it private if not they will tell in time. Our culture has been viewed by all and in the opinions of the world i guess, some think it needs to be like it is, too where we know what’s going on in the world. Others don’t want to know but when they do find out it freaks them out, to were their paranoid. Our cultures privacy is our opinion. It should in some ways be kept a serious secret and they should take more effort to keep it private. If not that serious it will be told in time, just like when Bush went to Iraq for Thanksgiving. Why Essay #9 Received a Score of 1This essay develops no viable point of view on the issue, offering only disjointed, unfocused statements about privacy (â€Å"Our cultures privacy is our opinion. It should in some ways be kept a serious secret and they should take more effort to keep it private†). The essay displays severe flaws in sentence structure (â€Å"If it is very serious they will do anything to keep it private if not they will tell in time†) and contains pervasive errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics that interfere with meaning (â€Å"when they do find out it freaks them out, to were their paranoid†). To achieve a higher score, the writer needs to present a clear point of view and support it with relevant reasons and examples. This essay demonstrates no mastery and receives a score of 1.  © 2005 The College Board